Flashback

“Now is the turn for contestant No.5 Moon Hyun Ae.”

Hyun Ae was sitting against the wall trying to stop her tears from falling. She was only seven years old, but she felt at that moment like a teenager about to receive the results of college application. As she was about to run from backstage, a woman no more than thirty years stood in front of her with a serious face.

“If you are thinking of hiding from this opportunity, then you are wrong young lady.” The woman spoke and pulled Hyun Ae from her spot and fixed her sky blue dress.

“But what if I screw up, Eun Ji? I don’t want my brother to be disappointed of me.” Hyun Ae mumbled sadly. The only reason she decided to participate in the recital was for Hyun Woo, but as soon as she saw the participation from the other contestants, Hyun Ae felt like she was in the wrong place. She was nothing compared to them. Maybe even Hyun Woo would consider having a partner someone else asides from her.

Eun Ji smiled at her student and gave her the violin that Hyun Ae has taking care for the last three years. “You remind me so much of your brother when he had his first recital.” Hyun Ae lift her gaze from the floor to look at her. “Hyun Woo was nervous just like you, but you know what his inspiration to walk up to that stage was?” Hyun Ae shook her head. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. She was sitting in the middle of the crowd with her parents by her side. When she saw her brother walking to the stage, her smile was so big reaching almost to her ears. When Hyun Ae saw him sitting on the chair, she was surprised when Hyun Woo stared at her direction and flashed a quick smile to her. Hyun Ae felt blessed to have someone like him as her twin.

“It was you, Hyun Ae.”

Hyun Ae almost cried at hearing those words. She couldn’t believe that she was the inspiration of Hyun Woo to go to the recital. If this was the same occasion, Hyun Ae could imagining what was her brother thinking in those moments in backstage, yet he managed not only to win first place but to make one of the best presentations that the judges have ever seen.

“Hyun Woo told me that you suffer of Nyctophobia or fear of dark, and that one day when your parents went gone to have dinner the light of house was gone, and you started to have a panick attack and couldn’t breathe well. Your parents didn’t picked up their phones, so he didn’t know what to do until he reached for your mom’s music box that plays a piano song to see if you can relax. And it worked well! Ever since that moment he promised to himself that he would learn to play the piano so that in those moments he can help you with your fear.”

Hyun Ae smiled brightly. That night should be one the scariest ones in her life, but it turn out to be a good one. She remembers Hyun Woo taking her to the garden while she was holding the music box playing between her hands. With the light of the moon shinning upon them, the twins were sitting in the middle of the garden with the music box playing Bluestone Alley of Congfei Wei. Hyun Ae still remembers how Hyun Woo would hum softly the song on her ear. All her fears were gone at the moment.

Taking a deep sigh and holding her violin with determination, Hyun Ae walked up to the stage. As she stood in the stage, she saw Hyun Woo sitting exactly in the same sport where she was sitting for his first recital. Then Hyun Ae did something that took Hyun Woo surprised. She flashed a smile to him.

“I’m very happy to have you as my twin, Hyun Ae.” Hyun Woo whispered.

As the recital came to an end, Hyun Woo and his parents walked to the backstage to look for Hyun Ae. They found her sitting beside teacher Eun Ji with tears falling through her small cheeks. When Hyun Woo saw her crying, his heart broke into pieces. The thing he hated most in the world was to see his sister crying.

“Why are you crying, little bunny?” Hyun Woo asked taking a seat beside her. Hyun Ae pouted angrily at him because he knew that she hates being called ‘little bunny’. Why? One day their neighbors bought a cute bunny to have as a pet. Hyun Ae instantly felt in love with the bunny. She would sneak to their garden to play with the bunny, but one day the cute pet got scared of her for running around, and bite her several times causing Hyun Ae to hate the animal. She went running back to their house only for brother to with the bunny.

“I wanted to win first place.” Hyun Ae mumbled. Hyun Woo smiled cutely at her. Of course she wanted to win first place after all the hard work that she has done for the last months. But she wasn’t competing against rookies, she was competing against kids that started in the recitals way before her. But still he was proud of his sister for beating most of them. It was true that her technique wasn’t accurate like the others, but her style was beyond that. Hyun Ae played the song with a free spirit that it seems like she started playing the violin ages ago when she only started seven months ago. Hyun Woo was really jealous that his sister managed to do something that he lacks for. “I’m still proud of you, little bunny. Even if it’s a second place, you managed to win over people that has experience!” Hyun Woo said.

“Yeah, but I heard from mommy that you would consider the first place winner as a possible partner for your recital in Germany.” Hyun Ae mumbled while wiping hear tears with the back of her hand. Hyun Woo stared at her in a surprising way. Hyun Ae did all this to become his partner? Did she really love him that much that she learned to play the violin in a few months just to be with him?

Their parents and Eun Ji gasped at the moment when Hyun Woo hugged Hyun Ae in a brief of seconds. It was an adorable moment for the brothers that they really appreciate to see. Many brothers and sisters tend to fight or discuss since childhood, but Hyun Ae and Hyun Woo proofed to be different. They truly cared for each other that just the idea of fighting is a forbidden thought of their minds.

“You are very silly, Hyun Ae. If doesn’t matter if you didn’t win first place, the fact that you all did for me is enough proof for having you as my only partner.” Hyun Woo whispered to her.

Hyun Ae started to cry again, but this time her tears were of pure joy.

Baekhyun was looking at the crowd from backstage to see if he can spot Hyun Ae somewhere, but to his disappointed she wasn’t there. He was really hoping to see in one the seats, after all he practiced like crazy the song he found in the note. It was almost an easy song to play, but the last thing he wanted to do was to disappoint the violinist.

“Please receive with a great round of applause for contestant No.4 Park Chanyeol!” As the announcer spoke those words, Baekhyun turn to his back to see Chanyeol walking to the stage with a confidence smile on his face. This took by surprise to Baekhyun. He and Chanyeol has been participating in the same recitals in the last years, and this was the first time that he saw the giant smiling like that. If Baekhyun truly cared for this recital, he would be worried for Chanyeol’s behavior, but he only went there to be judge from someone special.

Please log in to read the full chapter